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2913
Does Office 365 have accessibility features?


Office 365 Accessibility features

Microsoft Office 365 has been designed to include many accessibility features. Windows 10 users will also find many accessibility features which can be used system wide. 

Microsoft have a range of online services and information

  • Microsoft also provide a where customers with disabilities can seek support with Microsoft Office and Windows. This includes product issues, accessibility questions and use of assistive technology.  
  •  checking has been built in to allow people to check how accessible their documents and emails are.

Setup Office 365 Accessibility Features on your device.

Office apps work with the accessibility settings and features of most devices. These settings can help to make them easier to use. For example, you can invert or change the colour contrast to make the screen easier to see. Or, you can control the device with the keyboard instead of a mouse, and so on. See  for full information. 

Office 365 offers the dictate (speech to text) and either immersive reader or Read Aloud (text to speech) for most apps although functionality varies between the online and installed desktop versions. ().

There are also features such as and Tell Me that make it faster and easier to access commands. 

Windows 10 users should also visit the

Sussex Technology Enhanced Learning site has information on. 

 

Word 365

Read aloud icon Read on screen text aloud:

  • Word 365 Online - Immersive reader on the View tab.
  • (Review tab) 

Dictate Icon Convert spoken word to text:

  • Dictate is available on the Home tab of both Word 365 online and installed with

 

Other information: 

 

PowerPoint 365

Read aloud icon Read on screen text aloud:

  • PowerPoint 365 Online - Not available use the Desktop app
  • PowerPoint 365 Desktop- or custom group

Dictate Icon Convert spoken word to text:

  • Dictate is available on the Home tab of both Word 365 online and installed with

Keyboard icon  

Other information

  • (subtitles) are available when using the online app in Presenter Mode.  In the View tab, Set subtitle settings to Always Use Subtitles

 

Excel 365

Read aloud icon Read on screen text aloud:

  • Excel 365 Online - Not available
  • Excel 365 Desktop - Learn how to configure Excel  by adding speak cells icons to the quick access toolbar  

Dictate Icon Convert spoken word to text:

  • Dictate is not available in Excel, instead try the

  

Other information

 

Teams

Read aloud icon Read on screen text aloud:

  • Teams 365 - in Channel messages, chat messages, or use your own screen reader  

Dictate Icon Convert spoken word to text:

  • Dictate is not available in Excel, instead try the 
  • Teams 365 desktop app - (all meeting attendees) is available and is turned on by the meeting attendee when the meeting is launced via Calendar or from a Channel. Not yet available when initiated via Chat

  

Other information

  •  (Overview of Teams accessibility)
  • Microsoft are also aiming to enable Cortana on iOS and Android devices with Teams to enable voice assistance in Teams - expected for release  summer 2020

 

Outlook 365

Read aloud icon Read on screen text aloud:

  • Outlook 365 online - not available
  • - Read Aloud available in most areas

Dictate Icon Convert spoken word to text:

  • Outlook 365 Online - not available
  • Outlook 365 Desktop - Dictate is available in most areas on the Desktop App -

 

Other information

 

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This is question number 2913, which appears in the following categories:

Created by Sam Elmer on 6 July 2020 and last updated by Sam Elmer on 16 February 2021